How to enhance brand perception through storytelling.
How to
Above | Storytelling has become drastically more relevant in the digital marketplace than its predecessor
Telling stories as part of brand marketing initiatives that are both direct and indirect should be part of any well-considered brand strategy.
The power of emotional storytelling
Emotional connections matter.
Although blatant sales techniques may inspire a short-term gain, in the long run, it’s the ability to connect your audience with your brand and the values it stands for that play a more significant part in building consumer confidence and loyalty. Today’s discerning consumers look for the human element behind the brand to help them feel better about their buying decisions. People expect a brand to be humanised, a truth that relates to any industry, from real estate to hospitality and everything in between. In an era when technology has changed the nature of traditional human interactions forever, humanising your brand, thanks to the emotional punch of meaningful storytelling, helps you write the opening lines of a powerful brand success story.
Creative content is key.
Brand storytelling isn’t new, but as technology advances, social media platforms continue to deliver fresh opportunities for content marketing. Telling stories as part of brand marketing initiatives that are both direct and indirect should be part of any well-considered brand strategy. When it comes to writing stories that push the necessary buttons and motivate your target audience to take the action you need, engaging with experienced storytellers trained in creating compelling online content is vital.
Today’s marketing teams combine traditional marketing skills with new roles focussed on nurturing and strengthening the emotional connection between brand and consumer, with the development of social media stories and content marketing that matters. It’s no longer enough for those stories to merely be read on the screen.
Effective brand storytelling inspires engagement that moves into the offline world, too. To help you understand the secrets brand storytellers employ to make genuinely emotional connections with consumers, it’s about combining the fundamentals of strategic branding with the basics of fiction writing. The result is compelling, creative content that delivers brand stories that work for brilliant results that integrate and inspire.
Essentials to consider
Honesty is everything.
Honesty and transparency are two vital ingredients in compelling brand storytelling. Don’t confuse ‘stories’ with fantasy. The most powerful stories are told with integrity and truth. The three most crucial brand-building steps are consistency, persistence, and restraint. Take those qualities to your brand storytelling, as well. Creativity should not be at the cost of clarity. Confused consumers look elsewhere. Always stick to your core brand promises, as congruency is key.
Engage your audience.
Brand stories are more than mere marketing. If you treat them like advertisements, you’ve missed the mark. Think of your brand persona and let your personality shine. Would you stick it out to read a boring story, or have you got better things to do? Treat your audiences the same way. Bland storytelling loses business, but stories packaged in exciting ways help positively engage your audiences, capture their attention and turn them into business-building sales.
Create characters that matter.
And when we say characters, we don’t mean fictionalised beings that nobody can relate to. Characters in your brand storytelling might be well-researched consumer personas or team members that can be used for a unique perspective on a particular topic. The most essential element is creating characters people care about and cheer for. Brand storytelling that uses characters on a journey people can follow and connect with can help take your brand to new levels of marketing engagement. Now you just need the right idea to suit.
Take your readers on a journey.
Stories that are enjoyable to read take the audience on a journey. A story structure of beginning, middle and end lets you open well and carry your readers through the characters’ problems and conflicts to see a satisfying resolution that makes your story shareable. It also keeps your audience engaged enough to keep coming back for more.
Less is more.
Great storytelling motivates readers to keep scrolling or turning pages to see what’s coming next. Brand storytelling is no different. With characters that people care about and a plot line that makes sense, each new piece of brand storytelling content should feed on the last to build layers of detail that leave your audiences hungry for more.
One size does not fit all.
Delivering stories on one social media platform and using other platforms to release teasers and hints offers exciting ways to build momentum and audience communities. Online and offline storytelling techniques can also be utilised to bring a brand storytelling campaign together. Remember, the ultimate goal is to surround your target audience with brand experiences and stories. With so many ways to enjoy your brand story, your consumers will have deeper connections, connections that move you closer towards your organisational goals.